This invention relates to modifying the explosion performance characteristics of an explosive by doping the explosive with a free radical or ion getter. Typical explosion performance characteristics which may be modified include initiation sensitivity, detonation velocity, brisance, etc. It is believed that under ideal conditions, a typical explosion follows the path shown below: ##STR1##
In the first step (I) a shock wave is applied to the explosive either by a mechanical, vibrational, thermal, or electrical shock. The non-explosive getter additive of the present invention can increase the amount of shock necessary to initiate the explosion. This is important in formulating explosives since it allows the use of more powerful explosives in conventional applications where the explosives were previously too sensitive.
In the second step (II) the explosive undergoes compression, heat and shear caused from the shock wave. The third step (III) is the generation of free radicals and/or ions. The doping of the explosive with a compound which will capture or deactivate free radicals or ions, the number of initiation sites can be controlled. The number of initiation sites (Step IV) affects the rate of detonation. Thus by using the additives of this invention the detonation velocity and brisance can be modified.
The fifth step (V) is the decomposition of the explosive. This decomposition is a function of time and number of initiation sites. Since the number of initiation sites can be varied by the presence of the additive of this invention, and since the number of initiation sites has an effect upon the number of molecular decompositions, the decomposition time can also be modified by the use of the additives of this invention.
The sixth step (VI) is the explosive reaction yielding the high energy release. This explosive reaction is a function of the critical initiation energy of the explosive (See UCRL-75722, Apr. 21, 1975, Lawrence Livermore Laboratory Report by F. E. Walker and R. J. Wasley). The explosive reaction can also be modified by proper selection of the additive of this invention.
It is an object of this invention to provide an additive which when added to an explosive modifies the explosion performance characteristics.
It is an additional object of this invention to provide an improved explosive.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a method for modifying the explosion characteristics of an explosive.
Other additional and further objects will become apparent from the following description of the invention and accompanying claims.